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Chapter 4Betbuechlein.1.4

Ein Sermon von dem Gebet

The Foundation of Prayer

True prayer is grounded not in human worthiness, but in God's gracious promise and command.

First of all, for a prayer to be truly good and to be heard, two things are necessary. The first is this: that you have a promise or pledge from God, first call it to mind, remind God of it, and by that be stirred to ask with confidence. For if God had not commanded us to ask and promised to hear, all creatures, no matter how much they asked, could not obtain so much as a single grain. It follows that no one receives anything from God because of their own worthiness or the worthiness of their prayer, but only from the depths of divine goodness. God anticipates all our asking and longing through his gracious promise and command; he moves us to ask and to desire so that we may learn how much more he cares for us and how much more ready he is to give than we are to take and seek. Through this, we grow bold to pray with confidence, since he offers more than we are able to ask.✦

The Necessity of Unwavering Faith

Believers must pray with firm confidence in God's faithfulness, as evidenced by the promises in Scripture.

Second, it is necessary that one never doubt the promise of the true and faithful God. He promised to hear our prayer—and even commanded us to pray—precisely so that we might always have a sure and firm faith that it will be heard, as he says in Matthew✦ 21. and in Mark 11:✦ I tell you, whatever you ask for—just believe that you will receive it, and it will certainly happen. And Luke 11. Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.1 For which of you has a son who asks his father for bread—would he give him a stone? Or if he asks for✦2 a fish—which of them would give him a snake?3 Or if he asks for an egg, which of them would give him a scorpion? So then, you who are evil can still give good gifts to your children—how much more will your heavenly Father give a good Spirit to those who ask him?4 You must take heart and find comfort in these and similar promises and commands, and pray with true trust.

The Danger of Doubt

Doubt in prayer is a grave sin that dishonors God and renders one's petitions fruitless.

Third: If someone prays in such a way that he doubts God's hearing him, and only stakes his prayer on chance—whether it happens or not—he does two evil things.5 The first is that he himself makes his prayer worthless and works in vain. For so says Saint James the Apostle: Whoever wants to ask of God should ask in such a way that he does not doubt in faith. For if he doubts, he is like a wave of the sea that the wind tosses back and forth. And that same person must not expect that he will receive anything from✦6 God.✦7 What he means by that is that such a person's heart does not keep still; therefore God can give him nothing. But faith keeps the heart still and makes it ready to receive God's gifts.8 The second evil is that he treats his most faithful and true God as a liar and a loose, unreliable man—someone who either cannot or will not keep his promise—and so, through his doubt, he robs God of the honor and the name of faithfulness and truth. In this, a person sins so grievously that through that same sin a Christian becomes a pagan, denying and losing his own God. And if he remains in it, he must be damned forever without any comfort. But if he receives what he asks for, it is given to him not for his salvation but for his harm—in this life and forever—and not because of the prayer, but because of the wrath of God, so that He may recompense those fine words spoken in sin, unbelief, and dishonor toward God.9

Grace Over Worthiness

Prayer is not a reward for our worthiness but a response to God's mercy, which fulfills His promises regardless of our state.

Fourth, some people say, "Yes, I'd gladly trust that my prayer would be heard if I were worthy of it and did it well." I answer: If you won't pray until you know or feel yourself worthy and fit, then you'll never pray at all.10 For as has been said before, our prayer must not ground itself or rest on our own worthiness or the prayer's, but on the unshakeable truth of God's promise.11 And wherever it grounds itself on itself or on anything else, it is false and deceives you — even if from great devotion it breaks the heart and weeps pure drops of blood.12 This is why we pray: because we aren't worthy to pray. It's precisely because we believe we're unworthy—and dare, for comfort, to cast ourselves on God's faithfulness alone—that we become worthy to pray and are heard. No matter how unworthy you may be, keep this in mind and take it to heart: a thousand times more—in fact, everything—depends on this alone: that you honor God's truth and don't, through your doubt, turn His faithful promise into a lie. Your worthiness doesn't help you, and your unworthiness doesn't hinder you. But distrust condemns you, while confidence makes you worthy and sustains you.13 So for your whole life, watch yourself carefully: never count yourself worthy or fit to pray or to receive—unless you find yourself a free-hearted daredevil staking everything on the true and certain promise of your gracious God. He wants to reveal his mercy to you in just this way: that just as he has promised, unasked and out of pure grace, to hear you though you are unworthy and undeserving, so he also wants, out of pure grace, to hear you as an unworthy one who prays, to the honor of his truth and promise—answer you.14 so that you don't give thanks for your own worthiness, but for his truth—by which he fulfills the promise—and for his mercy, by which he has made the promise. So that this saying from the Psalm may stand: 25.✦ All God's works are pure mercy and truth.15 Mercy in the promise; truth in the fulfillment and answering of the promise. Likewise Psalm 85. Mercy and truth have kissed each other; that is, they come together in every work and gift we ask for, and so on.

Surrendering the Manner of Answer

True prayer trusts God to determine the time, place, and manner of the answer, rather than prescribing limits to His power.

Fifth: in this trust, you should conduct yourself so that you don't set God a deadline, name a day or place, or prescribe the manner or measure of His answering. Instead, commit all of that to His will, wisdom, and almighty power, and simply wait for the answer cheerfully and gladly.16 Yet without wanting to know how and where, how soon, how long, or by what means.17 For His divine wisdom will find a way and measure, a time and place, far better than we can imagine—and miracles should come about too, as in the Old Testament, when the children of Israel trusted God that He would deliver them, and yet there was no possible way before their eyes, nor in all their thoughts: then the Red Sea opened and gave them a path through, and drowned all their enemies at once. See Judith 8. When the holy woman heard that the citizens of Bethulia intended to surrender the city within five days if God didn't help them by then, she rebuked them, saying, "Who are you to put God to the test?"18 These aren't the kind of actions that earn grace; instead, they only provoke more disfavor. Would you set God a deadline to show you mercy, naming a day according to your own whim, and so on?1920 God helped her in a marvelous way, too: she cut off the head of the great Holofernes, and the enemies were driven away. So St. Paul also says in Ephesians✦ 3.21 that God's power is such that he does far more—higher and better—than we ask or understand.✦ Therefore we should recognize that we are far too small for this—that we could name, describe, or set out the time, place, manner, measure, and other circumstances of what we ask from God—but should entrust everything to him, and firmly, without wavering, believe that he will hear us.

Read the original Latin

ZVm Ersten / Daß ein Gebet recht gut sey / vnd erhöret werde / sind zwey ding von nöten.

Das Erste / Daß man von Gott eine Verheissung oder Zusage habe / vnd dieselbe zuuor bedencke / Gott derselben vermahne / vnnd sich dadurch erwege tröstlich zu bitten. Denn so Gott nicht hette heissen bitten / vnd Erhörung zugesagt / möchten alle Creaturen mit allem bitten / nicht ein Körnlein erlangen.

Daraus denn folget / daß niemand von Gott etwas erlanget / seiner oder seines Gebets wirdigkeit halben / sondern allein aus abgrund Göttlicher gütigkeit / der allen bitten vnd begierden zuuor kömpt / durch sein gnedig zusagen vnd heissen / vnd vns beweget zu bitten vnd begehren / auff daß wir lernen / wie gar viel mehr er für vns sorget / vnd mehr bereit ist zu geben / denn wir zu nehmen vnd suchen / vnnd dadurch küne werden tröstlich zu bitten / sintemahl er mehr darbeut / denn wir bitten mügen.

Zum Andern / ist noth / daß man je nicht zweiffele / an der zusagung des warhafftigen vnd getrewen Gottes. Denn eben darumb hat er erhörung zugesagt / ja zu beten befohlen / daß man je gewissen vnd festen Glauben habe / es werde erhöret / Als er sagt Matth. 21. vnd Marci am 11. Ich sage euch / alles das jhr bittet / gleubet nur / daß jhrs empfangen werdet / so geschicht es gewiß.

Vnd Lucae 11. Bittet / so wtrd euch gegeben / Suchet / so werdet jhr finden / klopffet an / so wird man euch auffthun. Denn wo ist vnter euch ein Sohn / der seinen Vater bittet vmbs Brod / wenn gibt er jhm ein Stein? Oder wo er bittet vmb

Fisch / welcher gibt jhm eine Schlangen? Oder so er bittet vmb ein Ey / welcher gibt jhm einen Scorpion? So denn jhr die jhr arg seyd / könnet doch gute Gaben geben ewern Kindern / wie viel mehr wird ewer Himlischer Vater einen guten Geist geben / denen die jhn bitten?

Auff diese vnd dergleichen zusagung vnd befehl / muß man sich tröstlich erwegen / vnd mit rechtem vertrawen bitten.

Zum Dritten / So jemand also bittet / daß er zweiffelt an der Erhörunge Gottes / vnd allein dahin setzet / auff ebenthewr sein Gebet / es geschehe oder nicht / der thut zwey böse stück. Das erste / daß er sein Gebet selbs zu nicht macht / vnd vmbsonst arbeitet. Denn also spricht S. Jacobus der Apostel: Wer von Gott bitten wil / der bitte also / daß er nicht zweiffel im Glauben / Denn so er zweiffelt / ist er gleich einer Wellen des Meers / die der Wind hin vnd her wiegt / Vnd derselbe Mensch nehme jhm nicht für / daß er etwas von

Gott erlange. Das meynet er also / daß desselben Menschen Hertz nicht still helt / Darumb kan jhm Gott nichts geben. Der Glaube aber helt das Hertz still / vnnd machets empfehlich Göttlicher Gaben.

Das ander böse Stück ist / daß er seinen aller getrewesten vnnd warhafftigen Gott / für einen Lügener vnd einen losen vngewissen Man achtet / als einen / der seinem zusagen nicht müge oder wolle gnugthun / vnd also durch seinen zweiffel / Gott die Ehre vnd den Namen der Trewe vnd Warheit beraubt. Darinne so schwerlich gesündiget wird / daß auch durch dieselbe Sünde ein Christe zu einem Heyden wird / vnd seinen eigen Gott verleugnet vnd verleuret / Vnd so er darinne bleibet / ewiglich ohn allen Trost muß verdampt seyn.

Wird jhm aber etwas geben / das er bittet / so wird es jhm nicht zur Seligkeit / sondern zu schaden geben / Zeitlich vnd Ewiglich / auch nicht vmbs Gebets willen / sondern aus dem zorn Gottes / daß er belohne die guten Wort / die da in Sünden vnd Vnglauben / vnd Göttlicher Vnehre gesprochen werden.

Zum Vierden / Sprechen etliche / ja ich wolt wol vertrawen / mein Gebet würde erhöret / wenn ichs wirdig were / vnnd wol machet. Antwort ich / Wenn du nicht ehe bitten wilt / du wissest denn oder empfindest dich wirdig vnd geschickt / so mustu nimmermehr bitten. Denn wie vor gesagt ist / Vnser Gebet muß nicht sich gründen oder halten auff vnser oder seine Wirdigkeit / sondern auff die vnwanckelbare Warheit Göttlicher zusagung. Vnd wo sichs auff sich selbst oder etwas anders gründet / so ists falsch / vnd betreugt dich / ob es auch für grosser andacht das Hertz zubreche / vnd eitel Blutstropffen weinet.

Denn darumb bitten wir / daß wir nicht wirdig sind zu bitten / vnnd eben dadurch werden wir wirdig zu bitten / vnnd werden erhöret / daß wir gleuben / wir seyns vnwirdig / vnd allein auff die trewe Gottes vns tröstlich wagen. Sey wie Vnwirdig du magest / so schawe drauff / vnd mit gantzem Hertzen nim wahr / daß tausent mahl mehr / ja alles allein daran gelegen ist / daß du Gottes Warheit ehrest / vnnd nicht in deinem zweiffel / seine trewe zusagung zu Lügen machest. Denn deine Wirdigkeit hilfft dich nicht / deine Vnwirdigkeit hindert dich nicht. Aber die Mißtrawe verdampt dich / vnd die Zuuersicht wirdiget vnd behelt dich.

Darumb hüte dich dein Lebenlang / daß du dich nimmer wirdig oder geschickt achtest / zu bitten oder zu empfahen / Es sey denn / daß du dich findest einen freyen Waghals / auff das warhafftige vnd gewisse zusagen deines gnedigen Gottes / der dir seine Barmhertzigkeit also wil offenbaren / daß zu gleich / wie er dir Vnwirdigen / vnuerdienten / aus lauter Gnaden / vngebeten / Erhörung zugesagt hat / also wil er auch dich vnwirdigen Beter / aus lauter Gnaden / zu ehren seiner Warheit vnnd

Zusagung erhören. Auff daß du nicht deiner Wirdigkeit / sondern seiner Warheit / damit er die Zusagung erfüllet / vnd seiner Barmhertzigkeit / damit er die Zusagung gethan hat / Danck sagest. Daß bestehe der Spruch Psalm. 25. Alle Gottes Werck / sind lauter Barmhertzigkeit vnd Warheit. Barmhertzigkeit in der Zusagung / Warheit in Erfüllung vnd Erhörung der Zusagung. Item Psalm. 85.

Die Barmhertzigkeit vnd Warheit haben sich mit einander geküsset / das ist / sie kommen zusamen in einem jeglichen Werck vnd Gaben / die wir erbitten / etc.

Zum Fünfften / Sol man sich in diesem vertrawen also halten / daß man Gott nicht ein Ziel stecke / Tag oder stat stimme / noch die weise oder maß setze seiner Erhörung. Sondern das alles seinem Willen / Weißheit vnd Allmechtigkeit heim geben / nur frisch vnnd frölich warten der Erhörung. Doch nicht wissen wollen / wie vnd wo / wie bald / wie lange / durch welche.

Denn seine Göttliche Weißheit wird vberschwenglich besser weise vnd maß / zeit vnd stat finden / denn wir gedencken mügen / vnd solten auch Wunderzeichen geschehen / wie im alten Testament / da die Kinder von Israel Gott vertraweten / er würde sie erlösen / vnd war doch kein mügliche weise für Augen / noch in allen jhren Gedancken / da thet sich das Rote Meer auff / vnd gab jhn einen Weg hindurch / vnnd ertrenckt alle jhre Feinde auff einmahl.

Also Judith 8. Die heilige Fraw / da sie höret / daß die Bürger zu Bethulia in fünff Tagen die Stadt wolten vbergeben / wenn jhnen Gott in des nicht hülffe / straffet sie dieselbigen / vnd sprach: Wer seyd jhr / daß jhr Gott versucht? Das sind nicht fürnehmen / damit man Gnade erlange / sondern mehr Vngnade erwecke / Wolt jhr Gott ein ziel setzen / sich ewer zu erbarmen / vnd stimmen einen Tag / nach ewrem wilköre / etc.

Darumb halff jhr auch Gott wunderlich / daß sie dem grossen Holofernes sein Heupt abschlug / vnnd die Feinde also vertrieben wurden.

Also spricht auch S. Paulus Ephes. 3. Daß Gottes vermügen ist also gethan / daß er vberschwenglich höher vnnd besser thut / denn wir bitten oder verstehen. Darumb sol man sich erkennen zu geringe dazu / das wir nennen / abmahlen / oder dargeben mügen zeit / stat / weise / maß vnd andere vmbstend / des / das wir bitten von Gott / sondern jhm alles heimstellen / vnd vnuerrückt festiglich gleuben / er werde vns erhören.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Eph.3.20 — Now to the one who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work within us—
  2. ↩Matt.21.22 — And whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.
  3. ↩Mark.11.24 — Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
  4. ↩Luke.11.11 — Which father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent?
  5. ↩Jas.1.6-Jas.1.7 — But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing; for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. Jas.1.7 — For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.
  6. ↩Jas.1.6-Jas.1.7 — But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing; for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. Jas.1.7 — For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.
  7. ↩Ps.25.10 — All the ways of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
  8. ↩Eph.3.20 — Now to the one who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work within us—
  9. ↩Eph.3.20 — Now to the one who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work within us—

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Source prints 'wtrd'; treated as the intended 'wird' ('will be').
  2. 2 ↩Source sentence ends mid-phrase; the next section continues with the fish/snake pair from Luke 11:11.
  3. 3 ↩Continues the broken syntax of Betbuechlein.1.4.5.s4 ('Oder wo er bittet vmb…'): 'Or if he asks for a fish…'
  4. 4 ↩guten Geist keeps Luther's wording (a/the good Spirit) rather than harmonizing to the common English Bible 'Holy Spirit'.
  5. 5 ↩auff ebenthewr: Early New High German for 'on chance / as a gamble / at random,' not modern 'adventure' as exploit.
  6. 6 ↩Source sentence is truncated mid-clause at the section break; the following section continues with 'Gott erlange' (receive from God).
  7. 7 ↩Printed fragment completing the James quotation begun in the previous section: '…that he will obtain anything from God' (etwas von Gott erlange).
  8. 8 ↩empfehlich = empfänglich, 'receptive/able to receive'; rendered 'ready to receive' for natural modern English without softening the gift-reception sense.
  9. 9 ↩ENHG belohne here is ironic recompense: God may grant the petition not as blessing but as judgment, 'paying back' empty pious words spoken without faith.
  10. 10 ↩"geschickt" rendered as "fit" (ready/prepared/suitable), not modern "skilled." Early NHG "nicht ehe ... denn" is the "not before ... until" construction.
  11. 11 ↩"vnser oder seine Wirdigkeit" taken as our personal worthiness or the prayer's own worthiness (matching s1's double condition: being worthy and praying well). "Zusagung" is God's pledged promise, not a vague assurance.
  12. 12 ↩"eitel Blutstropffen" rendered "pure drops of blood" (eitel = pure/nothing but). "für grosser andacht" taken as "from/out of great devotion." "andacht" kept as devotion.
  13. 13 ↩Zuuersicht (Zuversicht) rendered as 'confidence' in the sense of trustful assurance in God, set against Mißtrawe (distrust); 'trust' would also be faithful.
  14. 14 ↩Sentence fragment completing Betbuechlein.1.4.14: God wants to answer you, the unworthy petitioner, out of pure grace, in order to honor his truth and promise.
  15. 15 ↩Cited under Psalm 25; wording is close to, but not identical with, Psalm 25:10 (Luther: 'Alle Wege des HERRN sind Güte und Wahrheit'). Luther here says 'Alle Gottes Werck' (all God's works).
  16. 16 ↩frisch und frölich: early modern pair meaning ready/bold and glad; rendered as cheerfully and gladly to keep natural modern cadence without slang.
  17. 17 ↩durch welche is elliptical; sense is by what means/instruments/persons God answers, not a full relative clause.
  18. 18 ↩"in des" rendered as "by then," capturing the interim five-day deadline the citizens set before surrendering.
  19. 19 ↩"fürnehmen" taken as noun-like "undertakings/plans" (the citizens' proposed surrender terms), not the modern verb "to undertake" alone.
  20. 20 ↩"Vngnade" rendered as "disfavor" as the counterpart to "Gnade" (grace); it names divine displeasure, not mere social unkindness.
  21. 21 ↩Bare chapter numeral after 'Ephes.'; almost certainly Ephesians 3 (content of s3 matches 3:20), left as printed.

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